


in a flash

by MidnightRaven



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pets, Photography
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-07
Updated: 2017-11-07
Packaged: 2019-01-30 19:39:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,167
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12660093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightRaven/pseuds/MidnightRaven
Summary: He sees a red beanie covering messy black hair, a soft and boyish smile lit up by the sunlight, and a gray cat.Click.





	in a flash

**Author's Note:**

  * For [caelestisxyz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/caelestisxyz/gifts).



> This is for Celeste for the Kurotsuki exchange! I hope you enjoy it! Sorry that it's not complete just yet but it ran away from me and turned longer than I originally planned for it.

Tsukishima slides a book into place on the shelf, already reaching for another one with his other hand.

He’s been reorganizing the books for a couple of minutes now and he subtly steals another glance at the clock. Ever since he had woken up this morning, he has been looking forward to the end of his shift.

Normally, he didn’t mind working in this small bookstore; it was usually quiet and it was never busy enough that he had to deal with anymore than a couple of customers at once.

Today, however, he’s looking forward to visiting Soken Park. A friend had recommended the place to him and they had a great eye for special places.

The moment the hands of the clock hit the end of the hour, he started packing up. He cleared the cart of books before wheeling it back into the backroom, leaving it there, and going to grab his things.

Tsukishima double checks the equipment he had brought before sliding his messenger bag on and ducking his head into the strap of his camera. When he looks up, the next person on shift- a guy named Ennoshita- steps into the room with a yawn.

“Hey, Tsukishima,” Ennoshita greets tiredly as he dumps his backpack on the floor. “Are you heading to Soken today? I see your camera.”

“Just checking it out,” he replies, ensuring that the protective cap is on his camera lens. “Kunimi recommended it.”

“Mm.” Ennoshita shrugs out of his jacket, changing out of the suit he had came in and into some casual clothes. “It is a good area, especially for scenery. I think you’d like it- the leaves are beautiful this year.”

“I’d hope so.” Tsukishima walks out, followed by Ennoshita. “I am paying to get in.”

Ennoshita chuckles, taking his place in front of the register and sitting on the provided chair. He waves Tsukishima away. “Enjoy the walk, Tsukishima.”

“Thanks.”

Soken Park is a mere fifteen minute walk from the store. It’s an enjoyable walk actually. After working for hours in the cramped bookstore, he gets a chance to stretch his legs out.

The weather is starting to turn cold, though it’s still a pleasant coolness that he doesn’t really feel through his clothes. The leaves in the trees that he can see are turning colours- bright yellows, oranges, and reds.

In fact, he’s hoping for a couple of good photos of them. He had been told Soken park was a great place for taking photos- whether that might be the scenery, the leaves themselves, or maybe even the wildlife.

Even as he’s paying the entry fee, he’s keenly observing what he can see of the park- the lighting, the trees, the people. What he finds sparks a gleam of interest in his chest.

Tsukishima walks aimlessly through the park for a moment. It’s large and seems to be rather popular. There are people sitting on benches, walking dogs, talking, and just hanging around. He doesn’t really pay them any mind and heads further into the park until he comes upon a quiet pathway.

While the pathway would probably make a nice photo, he doesn’t want to catch any strangers in the frame. So, he steps off the path and onto a beaten trail into the forest.

There’s no one using the trail at the moment and he continues down it until he finds a small pocket of trees and bushes. He stops there, tipping his head up to eye the trees and the canopy, watching the way the sunlight filters through the red-orange leaves. It lights up the area below the leaves and litters the ground with sunspots.

It’s perfect for what he wants.

Tsukishima removes the protective cap on the lens and lifts his camera to his eyes. He looks through the viewfinder before snapping a quick photo, takes a few steps forward, snaps another, steps to the left, snaps more photos.

There’s a rustle of leaves on the ground and he lowers his camera for a moment before bringing it back to his eyes, slowly making his way towards it. He walks around a hedge-like bush, careful and slow, and makes sure he doesn’t step on any of the fallen leaves. His finger is on the trigger as he inches his way between more bushes, towards where the sounds had come from.

He sees a red beanie covering messy black hair, a soft and boyish smile lit up by the sunlight, and a gray cat.

 _Click_.

The stranger’s head snaps up at the sound of the shutter, eyes wide and looking startled. The cat recoils from where it had been sniffing at the guy’s hand- who had jerked back at the sound of the camera- and darts away.

The sound of the bushes rustling from its quick retreat fill the air.

The stranger is wearing a matching red scarf over his black jacket and jeans. There’s a bag beside him along with an unopened can of cat food. He’s still staring at him, surprised and bewildered, his hand still hanging in the air awkwardly.

Tsukishima snaps out of it first, quickly lowering his camera. “I’m sorry- I didn’t mean to, I’ll delete that.”

“Ah! No- no.” The other person shakes his head, slowly withdrawing his hand, and blurting out, “It’s okay! I actually, uh, I’d like a copy of that- if it’s alright.”

Tsukishima stares at him. “You...want a copy of that photo.”

“Uh, yeah.” The guy runs a hand through the hair outside of his beanie, glancing at him before looking away. He repeats this several times as he explains in a ramble, “If you got the cat in the photo, I’d really like a copy. I’ve been here for a couple of days to try to get it to come closer. That would be physical proof it happened, y’know?”

“....You haven’t even looked at it,” Tsukishima says falteringly.

The guy winces ever so slightly but doesn’t even blink as he replies, “You look like a professional photographer, I doubt it would be a bad photo.”

“I wouldn’t be able to give you a copy until tomorrow.”

“That’s no problem- we could meet back here tomorrow? My name’s Kuroo Tetsurou.”

Tsukishima shrugs, rubbing at his camera with his hand. “Tsukishima Kei. That’s fine with me.”

“Great, thanks!” Kuroo shifts nervously before nodding at the camera in his hand. “Could I see the photo?”

Wordlessly, Tsukishima walks over as he brings up the photos taken on his camera. Kuroo stands up as he approaches, stretching to his full height, and he sneaks a glance as he effortlessly maneuvers through the buttons with an ease that points to years of experience.

Kuroo is only the tiniest bit shorter than him and, while not as lanky as himself, is lanky with broad shoulders. Tsukishima meets his eyes for a second and quickly looks back down at his camera.

“Here.” Tsukishima turns the camera in his direction, ignoring how his heart had leapt up to his throat. He relaxes a bit when those bright eyes move from him to the screen.

Kuroo lets out a low whistle, a smile brushing the edges of his mouth. He looks up at him again with bright eyes- bright like the sunlit leaves behind him.

“That’s really beautiful,” he says, a soft awe on his face. “I’d definitely like a copy of that.”

Tsukishima nearly sputters, now all too aware of the way his heart is beating in his throat. He swallows the automatic denial on his tongue and adrenaline curls in his chest.

“Yeah- sure,” he manages to get out. He doesn’t meet Kuroo’s eyes as he shifts and pushes up his glasses. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He quickly retreats, leaving the way he had come, and hands tightly gripping his camera.

* * *

Tsukishima is going through the photos on his camera later that day when he finds it again- the unintentional photo of Kuroo.

Kuroo was wholeheartedly focused on the cat, face soft and patient, and hand stretched out- waiting. The cat is only a few steps away, close enough to stretch over and its nose nearly touching his lax fingers. Fallen leaves scatter the ground around them and the background of fiery trees completes the image.

And, just like he had expected, the filtered sunlight from the canopy highlights the entire moment in shades of gold.

What he didn’t expect, however, was how the sun made Kuroo’s eyes shine under its light; how it turned him into this warm, golden moment in time that looked- _felt_ \- so precious and memorable.

There’s a heat raising on his face and Tsukishima sets his camera down, covering his face with a hand.

He hadn’t expected that.

* * *

“Bokuto- you don’t understand,” Kuroo is ranting, leg bouncing with his nerves. “He was the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen.”

“Did you get his number?”

“How could I?!” he nearly screeches. His heart's still racing. “He had blond hair and the most stunning eyes. He might actually be taller than me? He was gorgeous, he had a camera and was taking pictures and-”

Kuroo cuts himself off, taking a deep breath. The memory of Tsukishima’s startled face pops into his head- wide eyes and softly parted lips.

“He takes amazing photos,” he says instead. “You know the cat I’ve been visiting? He got a photo of me and it. I’m going to be meeting him tomorrow again!”

“You’re talking about a person and not the cat right?” Bokuto double checks.

Kuroo groans. “Yes! I’m not talking about the cat- what cat can use a camera?”

“Take him out next time! Actually- bring him over! I want to see this pretty blond!”

“You’re kidding me right? You’d scare him away, no way!”

* * *

“Ennoshita, do you mind if I step out for a moment?”

Tsukishima doesn’t fidget under his co-worker’s curious look. Ennoshita notices the camera in his hands and smiles, asking, “Are you going to print some photos?”

“Yeah.” He ignores the way his heart jumps, fiddling with the camera strap. Ennoshita waves him off lazily, turning back to the register and empty store.

“Go ahead, just be back in half an hour.”

While the print shop is only a few minutes away, it always took them a bit of time to develop photos. Tsukishima found that it’s always worth it though, as all the photos they have printed out were high quality. If he wanted to make a copy for Kuroo, he needed to put in the order before the end of his shift.

The rest of his shift couldn’t have gone by any slower and near the end, he’s practically glaring at the clock.

“It’s not going to move any faster,” Ennoshita murmurs casually as he passes by with a stack of books. “Why don’t you start cleaning up? You can leave early since it’s a slow day.”

He grabs the chance before he can even think twice about it, sweeping the floor and tidying the counter. He finishes cleaning up within a few minutes and is out the door, rushing to the print shop to pick up his photos.

Tsukishima opens the packet of photos as he walks to the park, flipping through them. Most of the photos were from the previous few weeks- that trip to Nara with Yamaguchi, deers, forest, sunsets and clouds. Towards the end are the few photos he had taken that day at the park, along with that one photo that seemed to be framed in his head.

It looks even better as a physical photo- the one of Kuroo and the cat.

The quality of the photo makes it much more mesmerizing, almost real- the colors vivid and glossy. It looks beautiful, but he can’t help but think that the moment in real life had been even more enthralling- and like a fish on a hook it reels him back in, back to the clearing, back to Kuroo.

As he approaches the entrance of the park, he places all but that one photo back into the packet and into his bag. Taking care to not smudge it, he pays the entrance fee and heads towards that small clearing.

It’s only his second time here but he can retrace his steps back to that spot perfectly. As he walks around the bushes, his steps light and as quiet as possible, and into the clearing, he sees Kuroo.

The cat is also there again, frozen and staring back at him. Its eyes are similar to Kuroo’s- keen and bright.

Kuroo, who is sitting cross legged in front of the cat, turns to follows its gaze and stares at him and he awkwardly holds the photo up in his hand. He takes a few steps closer but stops when the cat crouches, looking ready to bolt.

“It’s okay, just come over slowly,” Kuroo says, watching him. He slowly makes his way over, eyeing the cat as it backs away, before turning to Kuroo. The sunlight that shines down on them make Kuroo’s face glow warmly as he peers up at him with even brighter eyes.

Tsukishima longs for his camera, wants to capture this moment and make it unforgettable. Instead, he glances away and offers the photo over, shoving the thoughts out of his head.

As Kuroo takes the photo, their fingers touch and Tsukishima discovers that his touch is as warm as he looks. He curls his fingers up as the warmth lingers.

Kuroo pulls his eyes away to look at the photo and his smile grows into a grin. “Hey, could you take photos of that cat too? I’ll pay you.”

Stunned, Tsukishima replies, “Why would you want that?”

“You take incredible photos.” Kuroo waves the photo in his hand up at him as if to emphasize his point. Tsukishima suppresses his wince at seeing the photo being waved around and potentially bent. “And you took this one perfectly- I’ve gotten attached.”

“Please don’t do that. And you can get a professional photographer to do that.”

Kuroo, thankfully, stops waving the photo around and peers up at him. There’s a sly look sliding onto his face. “But you’re here,” he says, his eyes gleaming.

Tsukishima stares at him for a short moment before politely bowing. He was only here to deliver that photo and he had done that. “I’m leaving.”

“Hey- wait!” Kuroo scrambles up from the ground, grabbing his bag as he gets up. The cat darts away at his movement and he spares a moment of disappointment for it before jogging after Tsukishima.

Tsukishima is playing with his camera when he catches up, changing the lens with another kind of lens. None of it makes sense to him but the way Tsukishima did it spoke of experience and skill.

The two of them are on the main trail now and Tsukishima stops for a moment. He pulls off the protective cap on the lens, brings his camera up, and snaps a quick photo.

Kuroo scans the area- a bunch of trees, the bark chipping and gnarled, and a carpet of coloured leaves. “That’s pretty,” he comments. “Do you only take photos of scenery?”

Tsukishima seems to ignore him as he scans the area before continuing down the trail. Kuroo follows nonetheless. “I take photos of animals and scenery. Mostly nature.”

“You look like a professional photographer.”

He makes a negative sound, adjusting the settings on his camera even as he walks. “It’s just a hobby.”

“Really? The photo feels like it was taken by a professional.” Kuroo takes another appreciative look at the photo, carefully held in his hand. The scene is framed perfectly and the lighting had been altered just enough to make it dazzling. It almost makes him jealous- the ability to capture such a moment and make it beautiful.

“It’s not much,” Tsukishima objects. “Anyone can do better.”

“I definitely wouldn’t,” Kuroo says, raising a brow. “I wouldn’t even be able to capture any of this in a drawing.”

Tsukishima turns. “You draw?” he asks, partially interested.

Kuroo blinks a bit before giving a small smile. “Ah, yeah. It’s nothing seriously though- just for fun.”

He gives an acknowledging sound and turns back to the path. They walk in silence for a while, with him occasionally stopping for a couple of photos and Kuroo observing. The air between them isn’t comfortable, but it’s not overly tense or awkward either.

“Do you live close?” he eventually asks. “If you come for the cat everyday…”

“Yeah!” Kuroo eagerly picks up the conversation, seeming to perk up from where he was walking beside him. “I’m only a bus ride away from here and since I work in the area, I just stop here everyday before going home.”

“You work close?”

“In the antique store. It’s by the convenience store- on the opposite side.”

“Ah.”

Kuroo scratches his cheek, glancing off to the side. “I only found the cat a few days ago and followed it here.”

Tsukishima makes a small noise, indicating he was listening, even as he focuses on his camera and any potential photo opportunities. Kuroo continues speaking, following him down the path and into the open area of the park.

“And the cat seemed wary of me- so I went and got it some food. I haven’t touched it so far but it’s gotten much closer since the first day.”

“There’s a lot of friendly strays in town. Why this cat? ” he questions, lowering his camera to glance at Kuroo, who shrugs.

“This cat drew me in for some reason. I wanted it to trust me.”

“That’s…” he trails off.

“It’s a bit stupid, I know.” Kuroo blows out a breath, almost a sigh, and moves on. “How about you? Do you live nearby?”

“I’m close enough.”

Kuroo huffs a laugh but doesn’t push for more. They’re at the entrance of the park, having almost done a lap around it, and they linger outside.

“I’ll see you around, maybe?” Kuroo starts, a bit awkward in tone and stance. “Come help me socialize the cat- and take photos. You take photos of animals, right?”

Tsukishima hums noncommittally, watching as Kuroo rocks on his heels with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. “I’ll be too busy for the week,” he says lightly.

“That’s okay- but the offers still open.” Kuroo doesn’t seem too disappointed, though Tsukishima isn’t sure why he gets the impression of drooping leaves from his tone. “I’d really like more of your photos- they’re great.”

The words come across with genuine interest, sincere praise, and he flushes, tangling his fingers with the camera strap. He shrugs one of his shoulders, glancing at Kuroo from the corner of his eyes.

“We’ll see.”

* * *

The next couple of days, Kei is back to his normal routine of books and fortunately decent customers. He doesn’t make another trip back to the park.

On day five, he’s sorting through his collection of recent photos, editing and sometimes printing them. Majority of his photos remain unprinted though, merely stored in his computer. The photos he keeps are all touched up with filters and small little adjustments- making them the best they could be.

Of the few photos he had printed out, were the ones he had of family and friends. Those were framed and hung around the apartment and were the only photos of people he has. Everything else were pets and scenery.

Tsukishima scrolls through the small thumbnails of the photos he had recently taken; leaves, the sunset, old books, a plant by the sidewalk, a couple of birds, trees, empty trails…

He stops.

He hadn’t forgotten about it, but seeing it again grabs his attention. Without thinking twice, he double clicks and the photo fills the screen.

The photo he had touched up and printed for Kuroo is bright and colorful, full of warm tones and serene. The cat isn’t a bad subject either, with smoke-gray fur and pale green eyes.

It’s probably one of the best photos he’s ever taken.

* * *

The next day, Kei makes sure to bring his camera and various other equipment to work. He checks on them- and the clock- frequently until the end of his shift.

  
“Go, you seem to be eager about something.” Ennoshita waves him out of the store, not looking up from where he was arranging books on the counter.

Kei leaves, calling out a quick parting, and heads to the park.

There’s a small crowd in the park today and he sidesteps a laughing couple as he makes his way to the clearing. Even the usually sparse trail is littered with people here and there but none of them pay him any mind as he steps off the path.

He softens his steps, walking lightly on the balls of his feet as he steps into the clearing. His hands twitch towards his camera but he slides them into his pockets instead.

Kuroo is there, sitting amongst the leaves that decorate the ground. He isn’t wearing the red beanie he had before, though the red hoodie he wears blends just as well with the surroundings. The cat is also there, cautiously rubbing its head against Kuroo’s knee.

When Tsukishima steps closer, it freezes and pulls away, and Kuroo jerks up, noticing him. “Tsukki!” he cries, perking up. Tsukishima frowns at him.

“Why are you calling me that.”

“Ah- sorry, it slipped out.” Kuroo grins almost sheepishly at him before motioning him closer. “Come over, he’s just a bit wary of strangers.”

With a huff, he slowly steps closer before taking a seat an arms length away from Kuroo. Leaves crunch under his weight and he makes a face but stays there. The cat is fixated on him, tense and crouched.

With as few movements as possible, he lifts his camera, adjusts the settings, and turns it towards the cat. He presses down, the cat looking directly at the lens, and takes a photo.

“It’ll take him a bit to warm up, but he’s really nice.” Kuroo watches him with interest and he hums, looking down to check out the photo There’s a moment of silence as he analyzes it before looking up at the cat.

“Him?”

“Oh!” Kuroo’s eyes light up, catching sunlight, and he nods towards the, apparently, male cat. “Yeah, it’s a him. He was close enough for me to tell today- please don’t ask how.”

Tsukishima swallows a laugh as he studies the cat, who was now laying down and grooming himself. He doesn’t move any closer and his ears were turned towards them, but he hadn’t run off.

“So, you like cats?” Kuroo leans towards him, elbows on his knees. He shrugs, absentmindedly running his fingers down the camera’s buttons.

“I prefer taking photos of them honestly.”

“Ohh. I like them, they’re pretty cute animals. I live with a dog that would chase cats so I can’t really get one if I wanted to.”

“You have a dog?”

Kuroo straightens up, a large grin on his face. “No! She’s my roommates but she’s the sweetest thing ever? I’d steal her if I could. She chases cats and squirrels but she’s still the best.”

Tsukishima listens as he ends up rambling about this dog, from funny moments to horror stories. He makes the occasional comment or reply as he snaps a couple more photos of the cat.

In the end, and Tsukishima’s not sure why but, he offers his own stories of the animals he had worked with before.

* * *

The next day, when Tsukishima steps into the clearing, the cat doesn’t move.

Neither does Kuroo, who glances at him with a grin and a eager ‘ _hey_!’.

He goes and takes a seat a distance away from Kuroo and the cat merely flicks its ears, not running off. Kuroo leans over, mouth opening and words on the tip of his tongue before he jolts, stops, and stares.

The cat had taken took a step towards him, neck stretched out.

Tsukishima freezes, holding his breath as the cat inches forward to sniff curiously at his knee and the camera in his hands before backing away. The cat then sits a meter away and starts grooming, unconcerned with the two of them.

“Tsukkii!” Kuroo breathes, absolutely thrilled and leans over further. “You just got approved by Neko-chan over there.”

“Glad I meet his standards,” he says dryly, shoulders loosening with the breath he releases. Kuroo is gazing at him, eyes shining with glee.

“No, you don’t understand- this is an achievement! He actually came up to you, do you know how long it took for him to come up to me?”

Tsukishima looks away, turning to his camera and lifting it. “You’re going to scare him away with your shouting.”

Kuroo lowers his volume at that, scooting closer with his grin edging into a smirk. “Are you attached to him now?”

“No. He just makes a good model.”

Kuroo makes a noise, drawing Tsukishima’s attention, and sprawls out on the ground shamelessly. Straightening his clothes, he props his head up with an arm and glances over with a teasing gleam in his eyes. “I can be a model too,” he purrs with a smirk.

Ignoring the mix of emotions tangled in his chest, Tsukishima eyes him impassively. He would admit Kuroo had a very... _pleasant_ body and, from the way he was sprawled out, Tsukishima had a feeling he was flexible. Kuroo doesn’t have bulky muscles, instead they line his body- accenting his form.

The smirk fades from Kuroo’s face after a few moments as he tenses up, not expecting the sharp scrutiny and heat raises to his cheeks. He had only thrown on the first pieces of clothes he had grabbed from the floor this morning. He suddenly wishes he had taken some time to pick out some decent clothes instead.

“I don’t photograph people,” Tsukishima finally says, pulling his eyes away.

Kuroo coughs, turning away and gluing his eyes onto the cat. “A-Ah, yeah. You said that before, why don’t you?”

Tsukishima shrugs, going back to taking photos of the cat. As the clicks of the shutter fill the air, the cat flicks an ear towards them and stands. After a short stretch, the cat walks over to Kuroo and the two of them still as he comes close. The cat sniffs Kuroo’s hair.

Catching Kuroo’s wide eyes, Tsukishima raises his camera with a wordless question.

Kuroo gingerly tips his head forward the slightest bit, freezing when the cat draws back, before continuing to sniff at his hair once he had stopped moving.

Slowly, ever so carefully, Tsukishima lifts the camera to his eyes, studying the scene through the lens.

Kuroo isn’t looking at him anymore, peering at the cat from the corner of his eyes as best as he can, breathing slow and measured and mouth parted slightly in his anticipation.

He presses his finger down.

 _Click_.

* * *

“Come on.” Kuroo wiggles his fingers invitingly. “Are you going to come over today?”

The cat stares at him before licking his paw and cleaning his face. He quickly turns to nibble at the base of his tail, ignoring Kuroo. Kuroo rests his elbow on his knee, propping his head on a fist as he keeps his other arm outstretched.

“Maybe we should name you something....” he muses, wiggling his fingers again in hopes of catching the cat’s eyes. “...Nezumi? You look like a rat.”

The cat stares at him with pale green eyes, ears swiveling to catch sounds only he could hear. He’s sort of scruffy looking with short fur and lanky limbs- though Kuroo wonders if it was just how the cat is or if it was underfed.

A twig cracks and Kuroo pops up, an excited greeting on his lips. It dies away silently and he lets out a huff, dropping back onto his hand.

The person that had passed by, didn’t even have to step into the clearing, had not been Tsukishima and a rush of disappointment flows through him. Usually, the other dropped by around this time- when he did come that is.

Kuroo huffs again and only the cat sees his pout. “I guess it’s just you and me today.”

The cat flicks his ears before padding forward, sending a burst of excitement through Kuroo. He slowly wiggles the tips of his fingers but otherwise stays still as the cat approaches. A cold, damp nose nudges at them before the cat rubs his cheek tentatively across his hand.

Carefully, Kuroo shifts his hand just enough to pet his head. To his disappointment, the cat pulls back turning to glance to the side.

Perking up, he follows his gaze to see someone pop into the clearing and the cat warily backs up. A stone drops into his stomach as he practically wilts at the young child that had ran in.

“Oh!” they yelp, quickly retreating once they noticed Kuroo. “Sorry!”

Kuroo sighs, turning back to the cat.

“Would you like to be called Nezumi?”

He huffs a laugh, trying to coax the cat over again. “I wonder if Tsukki would like that name.”

* * *

Turtles were usually slow, sluggishly making their way around their enclosures and resting for long periods of time. Occasionally, they would pause, arch their necks out and stay still.

Tsukishima liked using them as the subject of his photos.

Snapping a few photos, he lowers his camera and heads over to the snake exhibits. He stops by the python’s habitat where his friend, Yamaguchi, is staring intently at the snake. It’s wrapped around a couple of branches, only its tongue flickering with movement.

He takes a photo of the snake before turning to Yamaguchi. “Lions are next,” he prompts.

“You already finished with this area, Tsukki?” Yamaguchi asks, looking away from the snake. He nods with a hum, quickly reviewing the photos he had taken as they walk towards another section of the zoo.

Tsukishima leans against the railings of the lion enclosure, taking a few photos before moving on to the leopards, tigers and jaguars.

“You’re spending more time with the big cats this time, Tsukki,” Yamaguchi comments absentmindedly from beside him as they watch the jaguar. A couple of clicks of the shutter is his reply before he lowers the camera.

“They can make good models,” Tsukishima mutters with a half hearted shrug. As Yamaguchi had noticed, the two of them spend another hour with the big cats before leaving the zoo.

As they are walking down the streets and towards the train station, Tsukishima reviews the photos he had taken while Yamaguchi fills the silence with everything that he had missed the past few weeks. The two of them pass by a pet store.

Tsukishima slows to a stop, the cats by the front window drawing his attention away from his camera.

“Tsukki?”

There are puppies also displayed in the front of the store and in the back were various types of pet supplies and food. On a whim he enters the store, throwing over his shoulder a quiet, “Just a moment.”

When he steps out of the store a few minutes later with a bag in hand, he nearly rethinks his decision. He ignores Yamaguchi’s prying looks the entire way to the station.

* * *

Tsukishima walks into the clearing, immediately searching the area for Kuroo and the cat.

Kuroo isn’t there, sitting contently with an open smile, but after a moment the cat pushes his way through the bushes, peers up at him and gives a short meow.

Taking care to not make any sudden movements, Tsukishima goes and sits down against a tree. His camera bumps into his chest as he leans back and reaches for his bag, pulling out the bag of treats he had gotten on an impulse.

As he opens the bag, it crinkles appealingly and the cat comes over, ears perked up. He takes one treat out, offering it to the cat who sniffs the air before coming closer. With a couple more sniffs and a lick, the cat takes it and backs up, crunching it between his teeth.

Dusting off the crumbs on his finger, Tsukishima brings his camera up and snaps a quick photo of the cat- licking his muzzle and gazing expectantly into the lens.

“You want more?” Tsukishima asks, slightly amused as he lowers his camera back down. The cat comes back, sniffing at his knee and hands. “Hadn’t Kuroo been spoiling you with food?” he questions even as he picks out another treat for the cat.

With a curious hum, he waits until the cat finishes that treat before tossing one into the air. The cat chases after it, catching it and crunching the treat triumphantly. His lips quirk up, almost unnoticeably, before he tosses another one further away and quickly dusts off his fingers, raising his camera.

For the next few moments, he takes photos of the cat running after the treats, crouched down and eating, in the midst of pouncing, and waiting eagerly for the next toss. As time passes, Kuroo still doesn’t show up, and he throws one last treat before closing the bag.

When no more treats come, the cat comes over with a low ‘ _murrup_ ’. Tsukishima studies the cat before reaching over and the cat gives his finger a sniff. Finding no treats, the cat licks at his finger before ducking his head under, letting Tsukishima slowly pet him.

He smiles softly, carting his fingers through coarse fur.

“Wouldn’t Kuroo like to see you like this.”

* * *

The cat actually greets Tsukishima the next time he comes, giving a loud meow as he takes a seat on the ground.

Tsukishima reaches for the cat, stopping when he shies away. With a roll of his eyes, he reaches into his bag and pulls out the bag of treats, placing it in his lap, and offers one treat to the cat.

“Greedy,” he huffs as the cat eagerly takes the treat, tongue scraping his fingers. With a purring meow, the cat stretches towards the bag, ears and whiskers turned forward.

Tsukishima drops a hand onto the bag, preventing the cat from getting into it, and the cat leans back, gazing up at him. He’s about to reach for his camera when rapid footsteps catch his ears and someone walks into the clearing. The cat turns to stare at the intruder but doesn’t move.

Kuroo looks surprised to see him but it’s quickly replaced by a overjoyed grin as he makes his way over. “Tsukki! You’re here!”

The cat sits as he plops down beside Tsukishima, their knees brushing.

Tsukishima blinks at the abrupt entrance. “I’m surprised you didn’t scare him off with your thundering footsteps,” he says, taking his hand off of the bag of treats.

It crinkles and Kuroo’s eyes snap towards it.

“You bought Nezumi treats?” he crows, delighted.

Tsukishima scrunches up his nose, looking taken back. “ _Nezumi_? You named him Nezumi?”

“Aww, you don’t like it?”

“You shouldn’t ever name anything. You want to name a cat, Rat? Really?”

Kuroo gives a short laugh, wiggling his fingers at the cat- who was definitely not being called Nezumi of all things. “What do you think he should be named then, since I’m so bad at it.”

Tsukishima mulls over the question as the cat approaches, observing the way he walks. Slowly, carefully, but no less elegantly.

“Kemuri,” he says. “Like smoke.”

Kuroo hums as the cat- Kemuri- bumps into his hand and peers up at Tsukishima. “Kemuri it is,” he confirms, eyes as warm as his smile.

Kemuri blinks at them before letting out another meow, butting his head harder into Kuroo’s fingers. With a bright laugh, Kuroo gently scratches his neck. A camera shutter catches his attention and he looks up.

“Do you mind being in photos?” Tsukishima asks as he lowers his camera. Kemuri steps closer to Kuroo, a quiet purr vibrating through his fingertips.

Kuroo shakes his head vigorously. “Not at all! Take your photos anytime, Tsukki.”

Now armed with his consent, Tsukishima takes multiple photos of Kemuri, with Kuroo always in shot, before putting his camera down. It wasn’t his fault if Kemuri was too close to Kuroo to exclude him from the photo after all.

The bag crinkles as the camera bumps into it and Kemuri looks up and abandons Kuroo, walking over.

“That’s not fair,” Kuroo complains as Tsukishima gives Kemuri a treat and gently strokes him.

Tsukishima smirks at him. “He likes me better.”

With a click of his tongue, Kuroo wiggles his fingers while making noises, trying to catch Kemuri’s attention. Kemuri merely glances over before going back to butt at Tsukishima’s hand again.

With a snicker, Tsukishima pulls out a handful of treats and offers them to Kuroo. Kuroo loses the pout on his face as he eagerly takes the treats and Kemuri follows their hands, a paw coming up to grab at them.

“Thanks.” Kuroo grins as he picks one treat out and offers it to the cat.

Tsukishima watches as he feeds Kemuri, rubbing the cat’s chin with a finger between treats. Shaking off the last few crumbs on his fingers, he reaches for his camera and snaps a quick photo, the sound of the shutter lingering in the background.

Kuroo looks thrilled to have Kemuri- this cat that he had been visiting for who knows how long, who had barely trusted him at first- eating happily from his hand. With another person at that.

That kind of emotion, wholehearted and free, shows on his face and transfers fluidly into photos- one’s that weren’t staged and were essentially focused on the subject through and through, capturing the pure _depth_ of the scene.

Tsukishima slowly puts down his camera, watching without the lens between him and Kuroo. It feels like he’s part of the scene, a scene that was so touchable and achievable.

“He loves these,” Kuroo says, looking over at him. “Where’d you get these? He didn’t even like the food I got him this much.”

And in a way, he suppose he was.

“In Miyagi,” he replies, reaching over to stroke Kemuri.

Kuroo looks surprised. “You went to Miyagi?”

“Mm.” Kemuri, now realizing that Kuroo wasn’t about to give him another treat, wanders over to Tsukishima. “Went to a zoo and stopped at the pet store on my way back.”

With a flick of his fingers, Tsukishima throws a treat away from them and Kemuri chases. With an ease that spoke of having practiced the motion, he immediately lifts his camera, takes a shot, and flicks another treat just as Kemuri finishes the first one.

Kuroo feels breathless, light and warm, as he watches, laughing brightly whenever Kemuri makes an awkward jump or swings around wildly- or when Tsukishima forgot to dust off his hands and took a photo. He had scowled, shaking his finger and wiping at the spot of grease with his shirt.

He doesn’t remember a time when he’s ever been this nervous and happy, a mixture of buzzing warmth under too small skin.

* * *

Kuroo gives him a confused look as he takes the packet handed over to him, turning it in his hands as Tsukishima sits down beside him.

“What’s this?” he asks, picking at the opening. Tsukishima doesn’t look at him, holding his hand out for Kemuri to sniff.

“Photos. Mostly from yesterday.”

A bunch of photographs spill out into Kuroo’s hands and he flips through them with growing awe, intently taking in each photo. They’ve been touched up, even if a little bit, and they look simply marvelous. There are many photos of Kemuri and a couple of himself with Kemuri, but each captures a moment that flashes to life in his head and it steals his breath away.

“Tsukki! You can’t just give these to me- let me pay for it.” Kuroo scrambles for his bag, careful to not damage any of the precious photos.

Tsukishima shrugs one shoulder, aiming for nonchalance. “No, don’t. They were extras.”

“Extras. Really?” Kuroo gives him a look, eyebrow raised and bluntly calls him out on his lie. “I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t accidentally print out extras.”

With a huff, Tsukishima grumbles, “You don’t have to pay me, just take the photos.”

“Aww, you can be nice,” Kuroo teases. “Though I should have known the moment you brought Kemuri some treats.”

“Shut up!”

Kuroo’s smirk melts into a sincere smile and he nudges their knees together, catching the other’s eye. “But really, thank you.”

“No problem,” Tsukishima mumbles, looking away. He focuses on Kemuri, who was sprawled out on the ground and content. Neither of them had brought any food this time and Kemuri wasn’t really interested in them without it.

“I wish I could take him in,” Kuroo says, trying to entice Kemuri over. He gets ignored with a flick of ears. “I was thinking about it and how we’d manage a dog and a cat. Not sure if it would work out through.”

“You said you lived with roommates?”

“Oh, yeah! I haven’t told you about them yet have I? I live with two other guys- Sawamura and Bokuto. The dog- Misei- is Sawamura’s but we all love her. I’ve known the two of them for a couple of years now…”

* * *

“Here, Tsukki.”

Bemused, Tsukishima takes the hot cup that was shoved into his hands.

The heat warms his freezing fingers and he curls both his hands around it as Kuroo settles onto the ground with his own cup, a box in a plastic bag hanging off his pinkie. He’s wearing his red beanie again, along with a scarf and comfy looking jacket.

“I hope you like hot chocolate, it’s getting cold now too,” Kuroo tells him as he puts his cup down and carefully sets the plastic bag down beside him.

“What’s this for?” he asks, raising the cup of hot chocolate as Kemuri wanders over, sniffing at Kuroo’s drink.

Kuroo runs his fingers through his fringe, sheepishly glancing at him. “It was cold today, and I stopped by a cafe, I figured it would be nice...do you not like hot chocolate?”

“...It’s alright,” Tsukishima replies, turning the cup in his hands and letting the warmth seep into his hands. “I like white hot chocolate better.” He turns to watch Kemuri inspect the bag on the ground, adding offhandedly, “I did forget my gloves at home today…”

Kuroo grins, taking a quick gulp of his drink. “I also got us some pastries, since we usually sit here for a while.”

“You didn’t need to.”

“I wanted to, don’t worry.”

Kemuri decides that the contents of the bag was uninteresting and wanders away, laying down to groom himself. Tsukishima, with his ever present camera, snaps a couple of photos as Kuroo pulls out a box from the bag, setting it between them and opening it.

Lowering his camera, he glances over to see the box- it was packed with cookies, brownies and tarts. Kuroo is digging through his bag for something as Tsukishima puts down his cup and snaps a quick photo of the pastries.

“Have at it,” Kuroo tells him, leaning back into the tree behind him with a sketchpad and a tin of pencils. “Just leave some of the brownies for me- oh some of the cookies have peanuts in it if you’re allergic.”

“I’m not allergic.” Tsukishima carefully picks out a tart, topped with a large strawberry, before observing Kuroo. “You did say you drew,” he recalls.

“Ah, yeah. I wanted to draw a bit of Kemuri since he’s no longer running off now.” Kuroo looks up from sharpening his pencils, a smirk on his lips. “Wanna see my awesome work?” he says jokingly.

“Sure.”

“Wait- what.” Kuroo sputters, freezing up. He had expected more of a dismissal rather than an agreement. Tsukishima raises a brow and takes a bite of his tart.

With his heart in his throat and breath caught in his chest, Kuroo offers him his well loved sketchbook, feeling his nerves squirm once it leaves his hand. In an attempt to drown out the feeling, he rambles. “It’s not much, I only draw when I get some free time and…”

Swallowing the bite of tart thickly, Tsukishima marvels at the drawings. Whatever Kuroo was rambling about flies over his head as he traces line and angles of pencil with his eyes, all of them making up a drawing of a living room.

It’s all black and white and it doesn’t capture the scene like a photo would; but it captures Kuroo’s view, with each stroke and line of pencil, each shade and purposeful smudge. Wherever this was, it was _home_.

“Your house?” Tsukishima asks, interrupting Kuroo’s ramblings. Kuroo blinks, closing his mouth and nodding sheepishly. He makes a noise, careful not to smudge any of the pencil as he flips the page.

“It’s not much,” Kuroo repeats, almost embarrassed. He grabs a brownie and shoves the entire thing in his mouth, chewing slowly and playing with his sleeve.

There’s a sketch of a dog (full of energy and bouncing off the page), a couple of people (while not life-like, their personalities shine on paper), a volleyball (painstakingly drawn and all detailed and a couple of cats (none of them Kemuri but all of them obviously friendly and content). There are some rough sketches, nothing more than lines and shapes, but majority of the sketchbook is filled with complete drawings- all shaded in and _colourful_ in ways he didn’t know black and white drawings could be.

“Do you go to school for art?” Tsukishima gently passes the sketchbook back.

Kuroo shakes his head. “It’s just a hobby, I guess. I majored in Chemistry.”

“I didn’t know you could draw like that without professional lessons.”

“Is that a compliment I hear?” Kuroo slyly grins, leaning over.

Tsukishima snorts. “Just saying you must have a lot of free time. Do you really have a job?”

“I do!” The sly grin grows on Kuroo’s face. “You could drop by the antique store and check.”

“Sounds like too far of a walk,” Tsukishima denies. Kemuri wanders over, waking from the small nap under the sun, and sniffs around the box of pastries. He takes a photo of him before chasing him away from the food as Kuroo leans back against the tree.

Kuroo looks up from his sketchbook, now propped against his knees and opened up to a new page. “You said you worked at the bookstore, didn’t you? The walk from there to here is longer.”

“I don’t like walking,” Tsukishima says adamantly.

“But you walk here a lot.”

“Only because of Kemuri.”

“Aww, how about me? I even brought drinks and food this time.”

With a huff, Tsukishima turns away and grabs another tart, biting into it stubbornly. Kemuri settles a few feet away, paws tucked under himself and closes his eyes.

Kuroo studies both of them with a tiny smile before he starts sketching Kemuri.

* * *

The rain beats down rhythmically on the store’s windows, nearly lulling Tsukishima to sleep.

With the rain, they had barely gotten any customers and he had spent most of his shift in front of the register reading a book. Ennoshita was in the back, taking inventory, though he could practically hear the jaw-cracking yawns the other gave even in the front. He had originally planned to visit Kemuri today- and see Kuroo- but with the rain he decided against it.

Only, as he steps out at the end of his shift, bag and umbrella in hand, he wonders. What if Kuroo had decided to go in this rain?

He wouldn't, not in this weather…would he.

The door closes sharply behind him as he sighs, breath visible in the air. He makes his way towards the park, umbrella protecting him and his bag from getting soaked.

The trail is wet with the rain, littered with growing puddles and soggy leaves. Off the trail, it’s worse, and he has to step through mud to get to the small clearing.

And sure enough, Kuroo is crouched on the ground, watching Kemuri lick water off his fur.

“You’re an idiot.”

Kuroo looks up, smirking. “But you’re here too.”

“Only because I thought you were going to do something stupid like this.”

Kemuri shakes the raindrops off and bounds over to him, sniffing his shoes. He doesn’t bend down as Kemuri circles around him once before wandering away, uninterested.

“He’s been out here before, he’ll be fine,” he tells Kuroo. “You on the other hand need to dry off.”

As if the weather agreed with his statement, the rain grows stronger and Kemuri disappears into a bush.

Kuroo picks at his soggy clothes, grimacing at the feeling as he stands up. His hair was flattening, falling into both his eyes and hanging limp. It gives him an entirely different appearance and Tsukishima wishes he had his camera on hand.

“Come on, before you catch a cold,” Tsukishima grumbles, tipping the umbrella to cover both of them.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Tumblr (cawnvictofmurder)](http://cawnvictofmurder.tumblr.com/)  
> Let me know if you liked it and thank you for reading!


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